I made a concerted effort to pack as lightly as possible for our trip to London. After dozens of vacations, I finally realized that I’m likely to wear and rewear my favorites. While I’d love to be the type of blogger who takes outfit photos on each of her adventures, I’m not. I’m way more interested in sightseeing instead of location scouting, and oftentimes that means I favor the more practical pieces in my wardrobe that rarely make it to the blog. I’ll admit that it doesn’t make for the most exciting packing list, but it did make getting dressed a breeze in the morning! Plus, paring down on clothing means there’s more room in my suitcase to bring home treasures. (Admittedly, I brought a few extra pieces that didn’t get worn, like a black dress and loafers.) Below, you’ll find a list of everything I wore while I was in London.

WHAT I WORE IN LONDON

• J.Crew trench coat – With the amount of rain and misty days that London gets, this was such a practical jacket to have in tow.
• Lululemon lightweight jacket – I actually brought this to wear on the plane with an oversize sweater and yoga pants, and didn’t expect to wear it while we were in London. But there were a few warmer days that the trench felt like too much and when we were just heading out for evening beers at a pub, it was nice to stash things in the zippered pockets and not bring a bag.
• Gap jeans – I’ve been losing weight and brought these jeans in a larger and smaller size on the trip. After the first two days, the larger ones were much too big and I wore the smaller size the rest of the trip. (Yes, I’m totally bragging, but I’m really excited! I’m going to order the next size down, too, since they’re on sale right now. May as well be optimistic, right?)
• J.Crew striped long sleeve t-shirt (plus an old one from Banana Republic) – A striped shirt is such a classic piece and I felt pulled together for a day of exploring when I paired it with the rest of my daily uniform.
• J.Crew crew neck sweater (both black and grey) – If you don’t have these sweaters yet, you’re missing out. The price point is great, especially when they’re on sale, and they hold their shape throughout the day. I own half a dozen in various colors.
• Banana Republic grey v-neck sweater – What I love most about this sweater is that it’s machine washable.
• Old Navy umbrella – Truth be told, this Old Navy umbrella is questionable quality, but I loved the stripes. You might just be better off going a more practical route for this item rather than picking one just because it’s cute.
• Garnet Hill scarf – As many of you know, I’ve had a relationship with Garnet Hill for a couple of years now. I received this cashmere scarf from one of our first collaborations and it’s one of my favorite travel items. It’s so soft and generously sized that I also use it as a wrap on the plane, but it’s not so large that you can’t wear it as a regular scarf. (You can see a glimpse of it in this photo.) There’s a dark grey version on sale for $88 right now, but I think the scarf warrants the money even at full price. It really is beautiful.
• Karen Walker sunglasses – We only had a couple of sunny days, but these were great for hiding my tired eyes since I was sick for part of the trip!
• Vrai and Oro stud earrings and Monica Vinader ring – For as much of a jewelry hoarder as I am, I try to pare down my gems to everyday pieces on vacation. What that means definitely depends on the vacation. Since this wardrobe skewed more classic and comfortable, stud earrings and my favorite ring fit the bill. On a tropical trip, I tend to bring statement earrings and long pendant necklaces.
• Paravel backpack – This was the first trip I’ve taken this backpack on and it did not disappoint. I have a full review in the works, but suffice to say it’s worth every penny. It’s durable, rain resistant, easy to clean, and has ample room for everything you’ll need (and collect) during the day. Plus, it transforms into a shoulder bag, which is great for museums that don’t allow backpacks.
• Peds no-show socks – I bought a dozen pairs of these socks for the trip and love them. On colder days, I wore the Smart Wool version.
• Puma sneakers – We walked an average of seven miles a day, so sneakers were a must.

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